Castillo de Canena is the first Integrated Producer of extra virgin olive oil capable of monitoring its carbon footprint. Following an exhaustive analysis of all the stages of growth and commercialisation, the auditing firm Det Norske Veritas (DNV) has certified the carbon dioxide emissions required to produce one bottle of this famous oil. The company is now undertaking to reduce this figure every year.

Castillo de Canena´s cottage

The field work was exhaustive. It began with a detailed and quantified analysis of all the agricultural labours carried out in the field. Then, the auditors took into account the consumption derived from the industrial processing of the olives to obtain the oils; and finally, they calculated the lifecycle of all the auxiliary materials needed to commercialise each bottle.

Solar Panels

The fact that, in Castillo de Canena, all the links in the value chain are controlled and overseen very directly has meant that the measurement and quantification of emissions during the auditing process was very exact and precise.

Calculating its carbon footprint represents yet another step in the firm commitment made by Castillo de Canena to unite the outstanding quality of its oils with respect for the environment and the fight against climate change. The family business already has a compost production plant to reuse its own waste products. The plant matter removed during pruning from the last three seasons is duly removed, baled up and taken to thermal power plants to produce electrical energy or pellets

Furthermore, since March of 2007, harvesters have had three 100 Kw photovoltaic power plants to supply the energy requirements of the farm. Finally, there are 9 precision agricultural weather stations to control variations in the diameter of the tree trunks, the climatological conditions, the soil and humidity in the area with a view to optimising water resources available for irrigation.